I had had a very uneventful Sunday (June 5th). I wasn 't feeling too hot, and so I just layed around on the couch all day while Todd tended to Justin and Clayton. Not thinking the birth of the babies was anywhere in the near future, we all went to bed.
The early morning of June 6th. I am 32 weeks and 4 days in my pregnancy. I heard Todd leave for either work or a run at about 3:45 AM and was laying in bed awake. Just thinking about our day, what Justin, Clayton, and I had planned for the day. About 4am, all of the sudden, my water broke. And, I don't mean just trickle, I mean BURST. I seriously ran to the bathroom and water all over the towel and floor. Might be TMI for some of you! (don't keep reading if you can't handle it). So, I wrap myself up in a towel and wander the house looking for Todd as he wasn't answering as I lightly yell for him, not wanting to wake up Justin and Clayton. So, wandering through the house. Keys are here, phone is here, lunchbucket is here...so, he is out running. I call Jim and Dana first thing.....Send JIM...and find Todd....Jim was on his way shortly and out in our neighborhood looking for Todd. Called my OB and they said come as quick as you can. It is about a 40 minute drive to the Dr.
In the mean time, I am finishing packing our bags. Mine was pakced, Clayton's was packed, but Todd and Justin had nothing in their bags. Grabbed Todd some clothes and put everything in the hallway...Made Jim a list of things to gather for the kids....Soon enough (about 4:20 I think). Todd shows up. I catch him in the garage as he is coming in and tell him to "hurry up"...knowing we needed to be quick, since babies decided to arrive so early, this could be dangerous for all of us. Called Jim as he was out looking for Todd, and he came right over.
Todd took a 2 minute shower and got a few of his last minute stuff going (meanwhile I am having contractions). Now, I will tell you all I don't have a history of having many contractions. With Justin, my water broke and didn't contract much, got to Enloe Hospital, and C-section. With Clayton, water broke, but he was head down, so not too bad and only about 5 contractions, C-section. Neither one was terrible at all. Finally, we are off to the hospital, probably about 5:45? I text a few people to let them know what is going on....
Get to the First hospital (yes, I said first). We get addmitted through the ER, and go to Labor and Delivery (L&D). Nurses get started on me....takes them a few time to get in the IV. They can't get the little strip to show my water broke, so I told them to test the wet towel that was in my hospital bag. Instant results. Now, they take me seriously. I get a shot for the babies lungs to develop...and I got an IV of Magnesium- this is medication that is supposed to stop your contractions.? .... This gives you hot flashes, so I was warming up..not bad, but this will come back later. OB on call arrives and does a "check". I am 100% effaced and 2 % dialated. Having contractions! Knowing that I needed to be sent to another hosiptal that would take small babies, they call for the ambulance. I had to PEE....but they wouldn't let me get up. I had to remain laying down, since Baby A (Devin) was breach. They didn't want the ambulical cord coming out first. They put in a catheter - not the most pleasant thing to be done with NO DRUGS yet. I have had 2 put in before, but all after a spinal - I do not recommend this.
By now it is about 7am. Probably 6:45, but the ambulance crew does shift change at 7, so they waiting around for the new crew to take me....I guess I wasn't an emergency, so they took their sweet time. My nurse was so sweet, she told me she would take me to the next hospital on her time if he charge would let her. Finally, ambulance team arrives! I got a new nurse to take me to the 2nd hospital. She was fantastic as well.
Me getting into the ambulance.
Todd drove behind the ambulance...he stayed behind us most of the time.
So, in the ambulance I start having contractions about half way there. I kept having them, but after my IV drip, they had slowed, enough they thought I could make it to 2nd hospital. So, on the way to the 2nd hospital - about half way there - contractions start up again. They start at about 4 minutes apart and by the time we are at the hospital they are 2 to 3 minutes apart. My nurse is getting worried, but she remains calm. No sirens were going, but she was asking driver to drive faster ! We finally arrive at the hospital. Lady who checks you in wanted info, and nurse told her she could get it later. Gave her my name and that was it....
Ok, now we are in L&D. They give me a second shot of Magnesium....I start getting hot, there are nurses all around me....I am now sweating ( a side effect of the Mercury). I am so hot, I am having contractions, and so worried and stressed out. I start thinking...I left the boys at home, with no idea or preparation of me being gone (for who knows how long). I knew this wasn't good, and I might be gone longer than my anticipated 3 days. I start crying.....Todd comforts and I get over it...but still worried about all that is to come. All my babies....the ones still inside and the ones at home who will wake to Uncle Jim, but not Mommy. They are trying to stop my labor and give the babies at least until the 24 hour mark from getting the lung shot. So, we waited a while...hoping labor would stop. It did slow down, I had two monitors on the babies the entire time, contractions never really stopped, they just slowed down.
I had a fantastic OB at the hospital. This isn't my OB or my hospital, so I got whomever was on call. There was also another Dr. that came in...I think he was a NeoNatologist, and he advised us/OB about the dr. and if we should go ahead or keep waiting. Contractions started up again....3 minutes apart again....my nurse goes out to get the Dr.....Everyone comes back in to evaluate. I get antoher "check" 3 centimeters....so not stopping labor. Decide to go ahead with the C-section. Preparations begin....There are a bazillion nurses running around...I get a new IV (my 3rd for the morning). They are prepping the surgery room and the NICU is preparing for two babies....
I get rolled into surgery....get my Spinal and am ready. They get started and let Todd into the room. I swear it was one minute and baby A was out (Devin) at 12:33pm. There was no getting to see him or hold him, they gave us a 2 second view and ran him into the NICU. Preston was out at 12:34 and also got a 2 second view before they ran him tot he NICU. Todd followed to the NICU and took a few pictures. It was hard to take pictures with all the doctors and nurses suroudning them.
It took them a while to get me patched up, but I had a fantastic team all around me. They were positive about the babies health and tried to keep my spirits up. I was finally albe to be send to "Recovery". I was there for about 4 hours. I hadn't eaten since the night before and it is about 4pm now. I was hungry and wanted to see my babies. The nurses continued to give us updates and let us know how the boys were doing. They didn't want me to leave recovery until I could get some feeling in my legs. I told them it would be later that evening and my body didn't bounce right back. FInally, they let me go without any feeling in my legs yet. They got approval to send me to my room via the NICU. I was able to see the boys for the first time. I got wheeled in between two incubators. Dr's and nuses all around. They gave Todd and I a few minutes alone before wheeling me up to the 4th floor.
More later...and more pictures to come. Need to feed the twins :)
Also, if you haven't checked out Tootlepops site, she took some great photo's of the twins when we got home....
